


Simplicity

by LeedlingwithRageHappy



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Mostly H/C, Raychael - Freeform, practice writing, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-03 10:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1741058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeedlingwithRageHappy/pseuds/LeedlingwithRageHappy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the world is crashing down, sometimes all you need is someone to just be there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simplicity

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Hemingway quote, "You are so brave and quiet, I forget you are suffering."

It had been a bad day from the start. No, not just a bad day, more like a bad year. For some unknown reason, the forces of the universe had decided to plot against Ray where he could only look at the past year in disgust and sadness. He had tried his best to remain positive, but soon, everything began stacking up to the point where he felt he was going to burst at any moment. 

It didn’t help that on this particular day, nothing was going his way. From nearly being fired at work to a huge fight between his parents, the world had unleashed hell and all Ray wanted to do was curl up in a ball and disappear. Michael, his best friend and boyfriend, was usually unavailable until the evening, so Ray had to keep it all bottled inside until then. Ray honestly couldn’t wait for the day to be over.

As soon as he got home, Ray practically bolted from the front door to his window, dropping everything along the way. He shoved up the window and clamored out to the fire escape where he finally let out a huge breath and collapsed on the steel walkway. He scooted close to the edge and sat cross-legged, staring out at the scenery before him as he tried to collect his thoughts. What had happened earlier was the last straw, but he didn’t know if he should be angry or sad and he felt as if he was sitting in a cloud of gloom.

Hearing the front door open, Ray brought his knees in, hoping the arriver would ignore him on the fire escape or at least let him be. He figured it was Michael since the Jersey man was the only other person to know where the spare key was besides his parents and he knew he wouldn’t be seeing either of them soon.

“Ray?”

The Puerto Rican held his breath and slowly looked over his shoulder at the window behind him to see Michael staring back at him.

“Hey,” Ray responded quietly with a wave, not wanting to go through the effort of putting on a false face.

He and Michael held eye contact for a few more seconds before Michael climbed through the window and out onto the steel platform to join Ray at his side.

“Are you okay?” Michael asked in a gentle voice and kept his focus on Ray.

Feeling nervous, Ray tried to focus on the rooftops in front of him and shrugged. “I don’t know,” he stated. Ray could tell Michael wasn’t satisfied with this answer, but he didn’t know how else to answer the other man. In a way, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling. Inside, his mind was empty and emotionless. 

“Well,” Michael sighed. “If you want to talk or need anything, just tell me.” The Jersey man gave Ray’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze and made his way back into the apartment, leaving Ray alone on the balcony. 

As soon as Michael’s presence disappeared, Ray suddenly felt lonely despite not wanting company in the first place. He thought more about the previous events that had led up to what had happened on this day and gazed at the sunset, the sky in a tangent of red and orange. Knowing things weren’t going to be solved in a few hours, Ray let out a heavy breath and then turned around to climb back into the apartment. 

Ray straightened himself up and stared around the room, softly lit by the setting sun and let his eyes take in all the details until they settled on Michael’s form sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping through a magazine. Suddenly, the need for comfort hit Ray full force as he looked at the other man and he walked over to Michael, sitting right down next to him. Ray hesitated at first before wrapping his arms around Michael and burying his face into the man’s shoulder. A rustling let Ray know that Michael had set down the magazine and then a pair of arms wrapped around his waist tugging him in close. 

Ray swallowed, feeling hot tears prick at the corner of his eyes and he let out a shuddered breath that did not go unnoticed by Michael. The Jersey man gently held Ray back and took off the Puerto Rican’s glasses before enveloping him in a hug that resulted in Ray’s face being pressed into Michael’s chest and his arms now around Michael’s waist as the man squeezed him tightly.

The weight of everything came crashing down and Ray felt his stomach tighten before feeling the first tear leave his eye. As if that was his cue, Ray began quietly sobbing into Michael’s chest and he gripped onto the man like he was going to lose him at any moment. As Ray cried, Michael breathed out small words of comfort and rubbed circles on the other man’s back, occasionally stopping just to give Ray another squeeze of reassurance. 

Eventually, Ray felt as if he had cried enough and he pulled away from Michael, letting out a few more short breaths and wiping the last of his tears away.

“Sorry,” he apologized, barely above a whisper and then nearly jumped back as Michael grabbed his hands.

“You don’t need to apologize for anything, Ray,” Michael said in a stern but gentle voice. “I should be the one apologizing…”

Ray’s eyebrow’s furrowed into confusion and he cocked he head at the other man. Michael pursed his lips, as if he was intently thinking over his words, and then reached with one hand to cup Ray’s face. “God, you’re so brave and quiet, I forget you’re suffering.”

Ray felt his heart skip a beat and he placed his hand on top of the one Michael had on his face. “No, I…” Ray began and then clasped onto the hand tightly. “I didn’t want you to worry about anything. You’ve got your own life and …my things-they’ll get better.”

Looking down, Ray hoped his words would be enough to reassure the other man. In all honesty, Ray believed what he had said too. After all Michael did for him, the last thing he needed was to drag the man down. He was thankful Michael was so concerned about him, but if that took away from any part of Michael’s life, that’s when it was a problem in Ray’s mind. 

“Ray, you can’t keep it in all the time. It’s okay to vent, even if it’s just screaming.” 

Michael’s words took Ray away from his thoughts and he wanted so desperately to listen what the other man was saying, but his mind didn’t seem to want to hear it. Michael let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his thumb against Ray’s cheek. 

“I know you don’t want to believe me, but really, Ray, you have never held me back. In fact, if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I’d be as happy as I am now. Because you’ve done so much for me and-hell-everyone in your life, you deserve to be sad, angry, whatever at the world.”

Ray decided to think over what Michael had said, but still had some doubts in his mind. Why Michael was so caring about him was a mystery to Ray and he was truly thankful that he had the man in his life, though sometimes he’d wonder if their relationship was only being held together by a thread.

“Don’t think that now,” Michael said and dropped his hand in order to hold Ray in his arms.

Dropping his head down on Michael’s shoulder, Ray hoped he hadn’t said any of that out loud and replied with a small, “Hmm?”

“You’re doubting yourself, us, again,” Michael murmured into Ray’s hair. “I can see it in your eyes.”

Ray sighed and pressed himself more into Michael’s side, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. Just…everything happened at once and…” Ray trailed off, hoping his weak explanation would be enough for the other man.

With a nod, Michael tightened his embrace around Ray and the two relaxed into each other as things fell silent. Feeling better than before, Ray looked up at Michael, figuring the Jersey man would need to go home soon, and gave him a look of gratefulness and sincerity. As if understanding the exchange perfectly, the two scooted back from each other and Michael stood up first, adjusting his shirt.

“Do you want me to stay the night?” he asked quietly.

Bringing out a small smile, Ray shook his head and put on his glasses. “I think I’ll be okay. You’ll be over tomorrow though?”

“You know it,” Michael grinned back and Ray was sure he felt his heart swell. 

The two walked quietly to Ray’s front door and Michael opened it first, followed by Ray grabbing the doorknob and then leaning against the door as Michael stood in the hallway. 

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Ray,” Michael nodded and Ray found himself mimicking the other man’s movements.

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

Without warning, Michael stepped forward and grabbed Ray’s face with both hands, causing the Puerto Rican to freeze, before the Jersey man placed a gentle kiss on Ray’s forehead. 

“You’re fucking amazing, you know that?” Michael said in a low tone and then let go of the other man’s face, walking down the hallway quickly before Ray could even respond to what had just happened.

Ray stood a little while longer in the doorway as his mind processed and he shut the door slowly, feeling a small bit of happiness grow within him. Ray made his way to the couch and sat down, still feeling Michael’s spirit in the room and he brought his knees up. 

In his mind, Ray wondered why he had kept his emotions to himself for so long. Maybe he was afraid or just too selfless for his own good, but whatever it was didn’t matter right now. Tomorrow was going to be a brand new day and Ray was ready to push the unwanted thoughts to the back of his mind. He knew there were still going to be rough patches, but as long as he felt good about some things, it was a start. After all, he would have a certain Michael Jones there to help him every step of the way and that was all the reassurance in the world that Ray needed.


End file.
